Eclipse of the Dragon
by Writing Pixie
Summary: It's been ten years since Chihiro was last in the spirit world, and just like all other humans that have ever crossed to the other side she has forgotten her time there. Haku has willed himself to age so when she returns their love can take a new route. But there is something strange going on with him. He must determine what it is before time runs out. He has at most 3 months..
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note before hopping right into the story.**

 **So for those of you that follow me thank you for taking interest in this story. I honestly have been working on it for awhile and only just now settled on a better storyline than just the fact that Chihiro has no memory of being in the spirit world. I didn't originally want to make this mature rated but then I felt perhaps it would be fine if she was about twenty at her time of return.**

 **Those of you that are first time readers for one of my stories. Oh my gosh thank you showing interest I hope I don't disappoint. I personally love Spirited Away and it is probably my second favorite of all the Studio Ghibli films (a very close second to Howl's Moving Castle).**

 **Things you should know regarding this story. So first of all I had to do some digging on the internet to get some facts and as we all know some of those facts may be somewhat obscure or off. I realize that Yubaba's baby had a name but it never appeared in the English dub version so I had to look it up. It both appeared as Boh and Bou so I used the one I personally like a bit better. Also, when it comes to memories regarding her time there I made them a bit foggy on purpose again just because the dub and sub are different.**

 **Now having all that being said. Please enjoy this chapter and don't forget to follow/fave and please leave me a review on how you think this chapter went. I can't wait to hear from you!**

Chapter 1

Chihiro pushed desperately at the pedals of her bicycle. If only that one incident in her past hadn't kept her from getting her driver's license. She didn't often quibble over the circumstance that now kept her maneuvering pathways and roads with her two wheel transportation. With the way each downward lunge was currently winding her just a little bit more she felt it urgent to mentally gripe about the adversities she had to deal with in her short life.

The deep aching breaths she took had her chest expanding and collapsing as she followed the familiar road through the forest. She had been staring at the road on and off again for the past decade. She didn't know what compelled her to look that direction so often. She didn't even know where the road led. All she knew is that she constantly felt this inner need to be adventurous and follow the twists and turns that weaved in and out as they ventured further through the entanglement of trees to where the road must have ended. If it didn't stop somewhere abruptly it would surely have met up with the road that her parent's small blue house sat on.

Her creative mind would conjure up fantastical stories about what lay beneath this path. It had led her to seek out a career as a novelist. But she was already growing tired of her characters being the ones to set off on adventures, and her muse had decided to take a hike. It was time to experience something new.

So now she kept desperately pushing at her pedals, urging her bike up the small incline of the hill, despite how her chest burned as she released shallow breaths from her lungs just to begin a brand new adventure of her own. The trees grew wild here at this part of the forest. The limbs reaching out to the road as if to lash their branches out at her. She momentarily shivered as she mentally conjured up the illusion that the trees were trying to stop her from following the path. Finally, she was able to spot something in the distance. What she saw before her made her heart stutter momentarily in confusion because of how familiar the sight seemed to be.

Chihiro stopped her bike, planting her feet to either side and visually scanned what she perceived before her. A huge red building with a large mouth like opening took up a majority of the backdrop. In the foreground was this strange statue that would have kept any automobile from proceeding forward. The face of it sort of reminded her of something she saw in her dreams. She hadn't wrote about the woman who wore two faces. But this character was recurring. Sometimes she was a cruel greedy tyrant who enslaved her and kept her in a nightmare like setting. The other times she was kindly affectionate and guided her through stories and gave her motherly (or rather grandmotherly) advice.

She could have written about this woman from her dreams. She didn't though because unlike some of the other fantastical things she conjured these two apparitions almost seemed too real to her. That realness had once gotten her put on medications that muddled the access to her muse too much. So she didn't discuss the realness of these dreams. The only person she had been able to discuss any of this with without judgment was her childhood friend, Kyoko. The only friend she had made since moving here when she was only 10 years old.

 _My mother and father were talking in the front seat, and I was_ _honestly_ _only half listening. I had only told my friends goodbye the day before. One of them, Risa, had given me a flower bouquet as a goodbye present. I held on to them tightly as my mother pointed out my new school_ _as we passed_ _._

 _I remember looking out the window and being aggravated. I stuck my tongue out at the new school, dreading how I would have to start all over again. That's when I had noticed how the flowers began dying. I immediately started complaining about never having received a bouquet before now. Gosh, I really was an ungrateful stubborn little girl._

 _It was strange though because just after that I remember arriving to our new little blue house and my attitude had completely changed. I now was excited to start a new adventure. My mom had been convincing me during the whole trip to see it that way, and suddenly my mind had been convinced that was exactly what this move would be._

 _Unfortunately, the first day of school_ _hadn't lived up to the adventure I had hoped it to be_. _Belatedly I regretted taking my mother's words to heart_. _All of my classmates were already set on the friends they had and didn't seem to have a big enough heart to try to include me_. _It wasn't until a month later when Kyoko had moved that I began to feel included._

 _The two_ _of us_ _became inseparable_ _since that day_ _._ _We_ _practically lived in each others pockets._ _We flopped weekends on who's house we slept at._ _We_ _would do our homework side by side even if we weren't in the same classes. We often did each others nails and hair. Neither of us were really that into dolls but we were both obsessed with pokemon. We made sure that when a new cartridge came out that she would get one and I would get the other so we could easily trade the ones that were exclusive to our cartridge._

 _O_ _f course_ _we_ _had our ups and downs in our friendship. Late middle school we had hit a huge rough patch in our friendship. Kyoko had brought over a large poster for me to put up on my wall. It was some K-pop band_ _and I had only heard a handful of their songs_ _. As she was unwinding it from it's tight cylindrical shape she was pointing out each of the members. She would give them each_ _ample_ _praise but of course would keep coming back to the member that_ _happened to be_ _her favorite. Then she turned and asked me what I thought._

 _I hadn't known what to say. It wasn't that I didn't think the boys were attractive. They most definitely were. But none of their looks had my heart wanting to pound out of my chest._ _This was a_ _sensation I_ _had only experienced_ _when I would dream of this shadow prince_ _that_ _I couldn't see. Well, Kyoko unfortunately took my indifference to mean that I didn't like the group at all and that we couldn't be friends because of this one kink in our friendship. We made up pretty fast but I never really had looked at boys the same way the other girls_ _our age_ _had. None of them were my mystery shadow prince and therefore none could hold a candle to him._

Thinking back on it now it was Kyoko that constantly encouraged her to go down this pathway. It had been her that pointed out that it was quite possible this was where she would meet that shadow prince of hers. Growing up Chihiro had basically given up on her dream man. But her curiosity about the winding road persevered.

She blinked away her nostalgia and looked back up at the red building in front of her. A single open doorway marked the otherwise blank red wall. Should she venture further? Should she take this adventure another step? Before she even realized she had done it she had hopped off her bike and put the kick stand down. Her right hand pressed against the wall to balance her weight as she leaned in to the open doorway. It was nearly pitch black further in so she couldn't really make out where the path led. She pulled out her cell phone from the front pocket of her jean shorts. It only took a few moments to access her home screen and pull up her flashlight app. She frowned at the beam that transmitted in front of her. It wasn't a great source of light but it would at least provide enough where she wouldn't trip and fall.

A dozen worries wandered through her head as she warily inched onward. She was really beginning to become unsure she wanted to be venturing further into this building. What kept her moving down the darkened space was the fact that it nearly felt like something inside herself was beckoning her forward. Not only that, she again felt the presence in her mind that something about all of this seemed vaguely familiar to her. Did she dream this place up too and simply forgotten?

A howling breeze swept over her from the darkened space in front of her. It should have felt like it was pushing her away but somehow it gave more the impression of being pulled in. Like she was beckoned toward the darkness stretched before her.

She finally had made it to a round open room that had some light falling in from narrow windows evenly spaced around a dusty concrete floor. There were a few benches scattered here and there much like a train station or bus stop. It was quite obvious that no one had visited this room in some time. The only clean spots on the floor were marked in a curled swirling pattern that could have only been produced by a breeze similar to the one that had called to her just before.

As if she summoned the wind with her thoughts she was once again struck by the breeze pulling her forward. However, this time it seemed to ensconce her within a small cyclonic shaped funnel. It wasn't harming like a tempestuous tornado would normally be. In fact it felt more like it was somehow keeping her immobile and safe.

Quite suddenly the ground beneath her feet rumbled and began to shake. If it hadn't been for the helpful funnel around her she probably would have been knocked down. The building began to rattle from the powerful tremors testing its foundation. Dust and sentiment crumbled and fell from the roof as she heard a grating, ripping sound produced from just above her.

Her protective cyclone widened it's range around her as if it were sentient and was taking preemptive measures to assure her safety. Chihiro's eyes widened the size of saucers as she processed what she was seeing. She couldn't keep her balance as her knees began to wobble in fear, and she fell limply to the ground as the fear washed over her. Her eyes trailed upward where they widened as she took in the visual before her. She stared in confusion and trepidation at a large bald giant as he ripped off the roof of the building. If the size of him weren't enough to instill fear than the eerie manic smile he wore would.

He sniffed deeply before making a sort of chuckling sound deep in his chest. "I knew I smelled a human."

If it weren't for his inhuman size she probably would have questioned his choice of words. But there was no way a human could ever be as big as this behemoth above her. "Are you—" She realized she was stuttering so she took a deep breath and tried again. "Are you going to grind my bones to make your bread?"

She expected anything he uttered to be nightmare fodder for the rest of her life. What she hadn't considered at all was the youthful mirth that bubbled forth. "Are we going to have fun like we used to, Sen?"

She gulped deeply. "I think you have me confused for someone else."

"No. I remember. I may have been young but I remember. You may look different but I remember." Chihiro realized that while he was a giant there was a youthfulness to his face. He was probably at most twelve years old. He looked like he was about to throw a temper tantrum though, and she worried that if he did he would bring the building down around her.

"Look, I'm sorry I upset you. I really honestly don't know who you are though." Chihiro frowned up at him. It was partially breaking her heart that she had unintentionally upset him.

He sniffled. "Oh. That's right. Humans forget after they leave here. So, you forgot. You forgot meeting all of us."

"Bou! Bou, where are you?! If you are on the human side again you are going to be grounded to your room."

"Oh no. That's mama. I'm not sure what she will do if she finds out you came back." He frowned as he looked thoughtful for a second. "I'll need to sneak you to the other side of the river and get you food so you don't disappear once we reach the spirit side. I just don't know what to do after that."

The giant boy reached his chubby large hand inside the building. "Don't worry little breeze. I'm Sen's friend. I won't hurt her." The cyclone must have sensed his sincerity because it dispersed as he placed his hand palm up. "It will be faster if I carry you."

Chihiro didn't really have many options. From what Bou said it sounded as if his mother would hurt her if she discovered she was there. So she could either abandon her adventure before it even started, or she could trust him and hope he actually would carry her off to safety.

Chihiro wasn't overly afraid of heights but she wasn't terribly fond of them either. If she looked down as he escorted her across the river she would probably get a horrible case of vertigo. So instead she looked across the horizon. It was just after noon and the sun was directly overhead. She gasped when she turned slightly and saw a large serpentine mass growing as it headed there way. "A dragon!"

"Kohaku! Come here! Come here!"

Chihiro wanted to scream at him for beckoning the dragon over but fear had closed up her throat, and she was barely able to manage the squeak that snuck past her lips.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:**

 **A couple things before jumping in immediately. First of all I really did hope to have this chapter done and ready before now but I wanted to get the first 5 chapters written first and chapter 4 and 5 were really causing me problems.**

 **That's not the only thing that held me back however. I've had some stressful situations fall into my lap recently and because of these personal things I am going to probably be slow in all of my updates for the next few months.**

 **The biggest of all these things is the fact that my daughter is going to have to have spinal surgery. At this stage in the game I don't know when it will be happening. I only know that she is due to have more tests on Halloween. (Definitely more a trick than a treat huh?)**

 **I imagine this means her surgery could be around Thanksgiving time and that also means she will be bed ridden until almost Christmas time. :(**

 **Now hope isn't completely lost. I will have to keep my mind occupied somehow while she is in getting these tests and what not. So this may also mean that I will have more time to work on my stories. But I wanted to alert you that it could mean the polar opposite.**

 **That pushed aside. I honestly loved writing this chapter in paticular. It's probably my fave out of all the first 5 chapters. While I write in third person this chapter is more from a Haku perspective and my plan is that odd chapters will be Chihiro and even will be Haku. You will see some repetitions happen from chapter to chapter but that is only so you can kind of see both things happen from each perspective. I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I did!**

Chapter 2

Haku breathed in the fresh scents of the new day that was dawning. He felt each new day held some promise and that he had to take flight to visually see what that promise might be. He jumped from his balcony and transformed once he was in the air.

Flight itself had always held its own sense of freedom but he always had difficulty properly explaining to anyone what it felt like to transform into his dragon form if they asked. Over the course of his life he had taken some time to heavily consider how he would explain it to someone. The slimming elongation of his body felt like a waking stretch someone might preform when they first would get out of bed in the morning. The shimmering scales forming over his skin felt much like a dozen translucent rivulets cascading down from a waterfall all over him. Sprouting horns was the most difficult to explain and probably hurt the most of his entire transformation. In some ways it felt like he was being treated to a scalp massage only the force administered was somewhat like a vise that had gripped his head from the inside out and tightened for several long torturous seconds before being completely released.

Lately much of this transformation felt the same. But recently, the past few months, just before he transformed he would always feel this strange tingling itch that he couldn't quite scratch. It was like his dragon was bursting to get out and be free. Up until this most recent change, he had always felt like his dragon and his human form were two parts equaling one cohesive whole. But now it felt more like his dragon was somewhat separate from him. That it was its own entity or at least had its own separate spirit.

When the _'itch'_ first started happening he realized he had to go looking for answers. He was sure he would need assistance and considered Yubaba briefly. But honestly, he tried to refrain from visiting Yubaba as much as possible. She wasn't as fierce and controlling as she was once when she still held a contract over his head. But her temperament and greed still left a lot to be desired. He could have went to her with his questions and concerns but instead he chose to seek out her sister.

Zeniba didn't have answers right away. Or at least she didn't let on that she had an initial inkling. But she had promised to do some research on it. It took her a month before she ever got back to him again. What she had discovered wasn't all that shocking. He reflected on their previous discussion a couple months back.

 _"_ _Some spirits are b_ _rought_ _into this world_ _wild and because of this have a ferocity about them that can't be tamed. They aren't completely senseless but more often than not are ruled by their savage instincts. Some spirits are born to care and protect for something specific and those same manic instincts are_ _kept_ _from developing because of their commitment to that specific place or item."_

 _"Are you saying that because I am no longer tied to my river that I am becoming ruled by some ingrained savage instincts that I never knew I had?"_

 _"I am not positive of course. But, yes, my logical guess is that you are slowly gaining this feral nature." She paused for a moment thoughtfully. "Perhaps, you should move in with No-Face and I. We have plenty of room and I think having constant companions would do you good. I would daily research what I could do to help better keep these instincts at bay. You could immediately share with me issues you may be having."_

The elder woman meant well but Haku much preferred his tower house by the river that he had discovered shortly after his contract to be Yubaba's assistant had been terminated over the idea of living in the marshlands of Swamp Bottom. So he shook off her offer and promised to keep in touch if anything changed, and he once again needed her guidance.

Now he was flying to Swamp Bottom once again because Zeniba had sent word that she learned something more. Something important that she needed to verbalize as soon as possible. He knew that if she hadn't shared it through a communication spell or letter that she needed to share it where she could control the level of privacy. A location where she could be certain that the proper wards were in place to keep anyone that should not have access to this knowledge from obtaining it.

It was only seconds after he touched down on the ground that the door opened, and she waved him inside. He had rarely seen either of the twin spirit's hair disheveled and out of place but whenever he did he knew that there was something troubling them. Several strands of gray hair had escaped Zeniba's high bun she wore on her head. There were dark shadows underneath her eyes. It didn't take a high IQ to determine that something was troubling the powerful spellcaster.

"Thank you for coming so soon, Haku."

"I can tell something has been bothering you. Does it have to do with the information you discovered? Is that what is worrying you?"

No-Face's robed body glided across the planks of the wooden floor. He reached out with his oddly shaped 'hands' to grab a huge tome and brought it over to Zeniba. She smiled her thanks to her companion and quickly opened it to a bookmark toward the back of the dense volume. " _'At the time that the nocturnal orb's light is subdued by the daylight star the birth of a neoteric thaumaturgy will bring forth a transcendent eidolon.'_ I found this prophecy last night."

"Isn't this something you should share with your sister?"

"I will, of course. But I thought of you first. Perhaps it's because I have been so diligently looking for information for you."

Haku replayed the words over in his head again, and even asked to read it for himself. Seeing it in black and white seemed to give him more insight about what the words could be referring to. "Is there an eclipse coming up sometime soon?'

Zeniba solemnly nodded. "Two months from now to be exact. I'm not surprised you came to the same conclusion that we did." He knew that while she was including No-Face in the fact finding it was more likely that she was the one that truly discovered it. But over the years Zeniba had grown to really know the quiet spirit and it had quickly became obvious that he had this insatiable need to feel included. So, she often gave him praise for his assistance even if he had done very little to actually help.

Haku heavily considered why she was bringing this up to him and he worried he might know the reason. He didn't want it to be true but he had to ask anyway. "Do you think this has something to do with the strange feelings I have been noticing?"

"I am not sure. But I do believe that if we don't find a proper way for you to communicate with your dragon soul that there will be trouble on the horizon." Zeniba turned to No-Face. "Would you be a dear and grab me the other tome?"

Haku felt the need to fly away consume him. This was the closest thing to communication he had with his dragon spirit. There was a difference this time however. It was pulling him a specific direction and judging by his knowledge of the cardinal points it was pulling him toward the entrance to the human world.

He became lost in another memory as Zeniba began pouring over the embossed manuscript open on her lap.

 _There would never be another sensation like it. I knew that as I flew away from Swamp Bottom with the young girl on my back. She gripped my horns to keep from falling and despite the pressure I felt comforted by her touch. There was something familiar about it. Something in my foggy memory that I couldn't quite pull to the surface. I couldn't quite study the details. Was this where I knew her from? Was this the incident I first hear_ _d_ _her name?_

 _As if we were telepathically linked Chihiro leaned in to my ear to share what she was remembering herself. She told me of how she fell in a river and she should have drowned. She was telling me how the river carried her to shore. "I think that was you, and your real name is Kohaku river."_

 _My heart became free in that moment and my dragon form evaporated. I held on to her hands and smiled at her. "I remember. I am a river spirit of the Kohaku river. I remember you falling into my river, and I remember your little pink shoe."_

 _A sort of tragedy filled my heart when she explained how my river was no longer there. But at the moment I couldn't let it consume me. I had to concentrate and keep us levitated. The last thing I wanted to happen to this dear human of mine was for her to fall out of the sky. I would be fine if that were to happen but this little human… Well, I didn't want her to be trapped in the spirit world like that. I didn't want to be the one responsible for something so tragic when I could have easily prevented it. Even if there was a large part of me that wanted her to never leave. There was also a large part of me that wanted her to live her life._

"Haku, I need you to come back from that memory you have lost yourself in." The river spirit blinked and flinched back from Zeniba as she had infiltrated his personal bubble. "There you are. I'm assuming you were thinking of Chihiro once again."

Spirits don't generally blush as a rule but he couldn't deny the heat that blossomed in his cheeks.

"Hmm. Yeah, that's what I thought. How old would she be now?"

The passing of time was different for spirits than it was for humans. But Haku had kept track of the way time moved on a calendar in his room, and for each year that had aged Chihiro Haku had allowed himself to age a year also. She had once told him that he looked like he was only a couple years older than her. To be certain he knew how old she was he had asked directly, and she had told him she was ten. Haku had been diligent of keeping track with the calendar and knew that ten years had passed. "She would be about twenty by now. If my math is correct." He honestly didn't doubt his math. He just didn't want Zeniba to have more ammunition to give him a hard time.

He of course didn't think of the blaring obvious detail of the change in his appearance. "I'm glad you didn't think to try to fool me. If you had pretended not to know I would have called you out on it. I mean you wouldn't have aged yourself if it wasn't for that girl." She smiled at him. "I haven't thought to ask you this before but what if her time comes after she has lived a full life? What if she comes back and has left numerous grandchildren behind?"

Suddenly Haku felt very angry. He wanted to shift to his dragon form. He wanted to open his jaw and hiss at the short stout woman before him. He wanted to relish in the feel of his talons ripping through her flesh.

"Haku! Steady now. Be still." Haku took deep breaths and settled back into his seat. "I've never seen anything like that before."

Haku didn't trust his voice so he simply arched an eyebrow at Zeniba and continued to breathe deeply in an attempt to calm himself.

"You did a partial shift. You had scales erupting over your arms and cheeks." Zeniba looked back at her book. "I think what just happened confirms something I just read."

"What's that?"

"Are your emotions heightened?"

"I didn't really think so before that moment."

"How did you feel when I asked you about Chihiro's life? I could read it on your face but I want to hear how you perceived it."

"I was angry and wanted to deny everything you were saying. I wanted to tear you apart because I didn't want to hear it." He frowned for a moment as he considered what he had just said. "The weird thing is that I have considered the situation you mentioned before now. I decided that I would continue aging for the next five years and after that I would stop. After that I would go back to my previous form. The form that looked twelve. I wouldn't want her unable to recognize me when she passed on." _I would also rip down that calendar. I would no longer want to keep track of the passage of time like that. It would just be torture to do so._

"But now you obviously don't want that to be what happens. I knew you both loved each other. You may have been young but it was quite obvious. I think you have indeed confirmed that your dragon soul is becoming unmanageable, and that we do have to find a way for you to communicate directly with it."

"Any ideas of what we can try?"

Zeniba shook her head. "No, but now I know I need to be more diligent about my research."

Haku looked out the window. "I really do need to go for that flight now. Hopefully that will help calm me."

"When you transform try to see if you can mentally link to your dragon form. See if you can sense and separate your two souls emotions and consciousness. You are a great spellcaster in your own right, and that's partially because of how much intelligence and focus it takes. I am sure you can work some of this out without guidance."

Soon after Haku was transforming again and about to take to the skies. He first tried to mentally link with his dragon before hovering off the ground. It wasn't a clear consciousness he was feeling. But he was feeling that urge again. That need to fly off toward the human entrance to the spirit world. So he halfway entertained that urge. He headed off in the direction of the bathhouse. He figured that it just might be time to get Yubaba's thoughts of what was going on with him. Not that he was looking forward to it. But he figured it was a smart idea to utilize all the resources he had available.

A large figure in the distance waved his direction. It was obvious that whoever was sweeping his arm back and forth wanted him to go that way. Somehow it didn't surprised Haku that the direction he would have to fly was the same one he was being directed toward by his instincts. He guessed he probably should have listened to them in the first place after all as he swiftly switched his destination.

Once he got a little bit closer he saw that it was Bou that was calling his direction. He mentally sighed but continued forward. Once he landed he instantaneously swapped his dragon form for his humanoid one. "Bou, you know your mother doesn't want you out here." It was only when Haku got closer that he noticed Bou carried someone in the hand opposite of the one he had been waving to the sky.

The figure was of a young woman and he was immediately stunned by her beauty. She had long chestnut brown hair that she wore high on her head. It draped in a curvy ponytail down her back. If she had left it down he was sure that it was likely to reach her waist. A blush began to stain her high cheekbones which only enhanced the flawlessness of her skin. Her dark eyes widened in what Haku could only perceive as one of amazement or confusion. Once her scent hit his nostrils his footing became unsteady, and he had nearly lost his balance as he realized who she was. "Chihiro."

Her blush began to drain from her cheeks in shock and she sighed in confusion. It took a moment for her to ground herself, and once she did she blinked back up at him. "How do you know my name?"

It felt like a knife had pierced his heart. She had forgotten. Just like all other humans that left the spirit world after spending a short time here. She had forgotten. With the counting of years on the calendar this possibility had never occurred to him. He should have expected it because it was the same thing that happened to any human that spent time in the spirit world. He felt as if a part of his heart was breaking.

It wasn't until she asked the next question that a flicker of hope resurfaced. "Why does this place seem so familiar?"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The dragon swooped down from the skies and immediately, with a glow that could have only been magic, there was now a young man standing before her. She couldn't keep the blush from rising to her face as she took in his features. He wore his hair long and loose. It hung down his body to kiss the upper part of his arms just above his elbows. It was the color of sage and she almost immediately knew that whenever she smelled the herb burning in the future she would forever after associate the scent with him. His eyes swept over her form much the same as hers did to his. His eyes were one of the most captivating features about him, a lighter hue of nearly the exact same shade as his hair. What made them so compelling was an indescribable softness to them that she knew would be difficult for her to find the proper adjectives for.

If she thought she could have been more surprised today she was bound to be disappointed because the first words he uttered toward her were her name. "How do you know my name?"

She immediately wanted to comfort him when she saw this look of tragic disappointment cross his face. She didn't want to openly admit it yet but there was something about him that seemed familiar to her. She wasn't sure what it was. But the thing was it wasn't just him. It was also this place. It wouldn't harm anything to mention something about her surroundings being familiar. Would it? "Why does this place seem so familiar?"

Just like that Chihiro watched his face transform once again. He held hope in his eyes, and she wasn't sure of what to make of that. She had to admit to herself that she was relieved to see something other than disappointment and hurt in his features. "Chihiro, I don't want to overwhelm you." He paused for a moment as if considering his words carefully. "The easiest way to express it is that you have been here before. When you were ten you had your own adventure on the spirit side of the river. I've known you much longer and you have known me both as Haku and the Kohaku river."

Chihiro's eyes immediately widened. She remembered that day when she was very small. She may have been three or four. It was a scary moment but something about or in that river brought her peace as she felt herself carried to shore. Before she could cut in and ask him if he had been the one to save her that fateful day he muttered a curse.

"You are disappearing. We need to get you some food quick."

"I'm see through."

"Bou, do you think you can get her some food that hasn't been tampered with? Something that your mother hasn't put a spell on. Also, I am not sure Yubaba should know about her presence just yet. So try to keep that a secret." He paused for a moment as if he were heavily considering something. "I guess that would mean it would probably be better if I took her to my home instead of the bath house."

Bou sat her down on the ground and nodded. "Yes, I will be as quick as a bunny."

"Yes, do be quick. But don't hop like a bunny. As much fun as that game is to play it will actually just slow you down."

Chihiro arched an eyebrow at the giant boy's departure. As if he could read her thoughts Haku went on to explain. "He's twelve but his emotional maturity is somewhat stunted. None of us are certain but we think it's because he is the youngest pure spirit of this world, or at least in this area of the spirit world."

"Pure spirit?" Chihiro blinked in confusion.

"Both of his parents are spirits. Or were." Haku paused for a moment.

 _He's obviously someone likes to carefully consider what they are saying before uttering a single word._

"No one is certain about his paternity, except perhaps his mother but she isn't forthcoming with that particular piece of information. The only thing she has let on was just the fact that he was also a spirit himself."

Chihiro nodded even though she really didn't quite understand what he was saying. She looked down at her hands and frowned. "Can you help me keep my mind off the fact that I'm fading? Tell me a bit about my last time here."

"I'm not sure what all I should share. I feel like it would be better if you remembered it all on your own." Chihiro was sure her face showed the disappointment she felt but when he spoke next it was obvious he was trying to understand things from a different angle. "What drove you to come back though? Even if you didn't know you were revisiting a place you had already been there must have been something steering you our direction."

She knew he wouldn't call her crazy. He wasn't in a position where he could encourage her to take medicine that inhibited her senses. So what was the harm in sharing secrets with him that she had only originally shared with Kyoko? "It's difficult to put into words." She shrugged her shoulders. "Ever since my dad was transferred, and we had to move I have always felt drawn to the path that led me here. I guess my curiosity finally got the better of me."

"What kept you from investigating earlier?" There was no forcefulness in the way he asked the question. He only appeared to be interested in the driving force behind her own actions.

She shrugged her shoulders. "Lack of courage? I don't want to say I was straight out frightened by the prospect. That isn't quite accurate. But I definitely wasn't emotionally ready for this adventure yet."

He smiled at her as if the way she answered was exactly what he wanted to hear. The ground began to shake signaling Bou's return. He held out a tray of onigiri to Chihiro. "I remembered Kohaku once told me how much you seemed to like these."

She smiled up at him. "I do like rice balls. Thank you, Bou." After her first bite she began to feel a kind of warmth enter her system. It was a strange sensation and she pondered to consider if this is what magic felt like from the inside out. She looked down at both of her hands and noticed they were already solid. She decided to finish the one she bit into but she honestly wasn't hungry enough to eat the rest. "Could you wrap up the rest for me to take with me? I'm surprisingly already full. I am sure in a couple hours I will be hungry again, though."

"Afterward can we play?" Bou asked enthusiastically.

"Um." She looked up at Haku. She really didn't have the energy to keep up with a child's enthusiasm right now.

Luckily Haku knew she wanted him to intervene and responded accordingly. "Honestly, Bou, I should probably get her back to my home. Do you think when you go back to wrap those up that you could tell Lin that you wanted to visit with me for a bit? It would be easier to get Chihiro there if you carried her. I would fly her on my back but I am sure she has already had enough excitement today."

Chihiro gulped back the lump that suddenly appeared in her throat. "I've rode on your back and flew with you before?"

"A couple times, yes."

Chihiro tried to imagine riding on the back of Haku's form and immediately felt her nerves kick in. It wasn't the height factor that made her nervous. She was probably more nervous about the fact that his dragon form was so slender that she would barely have a place to sit safely. Granted, she hadn't paid much attention to his dragon form. The sheer fact that a dragon was landing in front of her had left fear pulsing out in multiple directions.

It had only taken a few moments for Bou to get the rice balls packed up nicely. "Lin was surprised you wanted to play with me. She said something like: 'Haku has been a real stick in the mud the past few months. Are you sure he really said he would play with you?'"

 _Had Haku been unhappy recently? He doesn't seem unhappy now. Then again, how would I know that? How could I read the emotions of someone I barely know?_

"That sounds like something Lin would say alright. Sounds like she might be suspicious too. But all I really care about is the fact that she would let your mother know where you are."

Bou nodded. "Yes, she said she would take care of it."

"Who is this Lin?" Chihiro had difficulty identifying the emotions that churned in her stomach at that moment. It almost felt like she hated someone she hadn't even met, or at least had forgotten.

"She's a friend." He paused for a second and quickly added. "To both of us. I honestly hoped she would be irritated with Bou's comment."

Chihiro arched an eyebrow. "Why's that?"

"So she would come out to my home before her shift started tonight. You didn't have to wake her up to pass on the information did you?" Haku's back had tensed just before he asked Bou about Lin's sleeping pattern. It was obvious that the idea of waking up this Lin person made him nervous.

"No, she was running behind today. She had just gotten her last meal when I spoke to her." Bou placed his hand down in the grass palm up. "Time to go."

Chihiro only hesitated for a moment before climbing in the palm of his hand. Once she was seated comfortable she turned to look at Haku. He seemed emotionally torn about something. "I'm going to have to fly ahead. My tower home has magical barriers to keep strangers out. I will have to add your signature to the list of of those I allow inside."

"What do you mean by signature?"

"Your magical signature."

"But, I have no magic." Chihiro was becoming more and more confused by the second.

Haku sighed. "Everyone has some magic within them. Most just don't have access to that magic."

"So, how do you know what my magical signature is?"

"I can read it when I look at you. It's somewhat similar to how a clairvoyant psychic is able to read auras." He took a long look at her. The steady stare he leveled at her had a warm burn seep up to the pale color of her cheeks. "You magical signature is a circle with a wave from the ocean in the center of it."

He seemed so certain she didn't question the authenticity of his response. She was still exceptionally curious however. "Is there a reason everyone has the specific magical signature they do?"

"Generally? Yes, there is some reason. Yours might be simply referring to one of your name translations, 'with the depth of a thousand waters.' It could also be something more than that." He looked around. "But we really do need to get to my home. We have been here way too long already."

Chihiro tried not to blink as Haku transformed once again. She was surprised when he didn't immediately fly away so she took the opportunity to study this particular shape of him. His body was longer and wider than she expected while still carrying a thinner muscular frame. The scales that adorned his body everywhere except his belly were a silvery white hue and shone bright against the light of the sun. The ones that adorned his belly where a light grayish lavender. He had a vibrant viridian green mane that began at the tip of his triangular head and extended just before stopping at his tail. Another small tuft of hair the same color was at the tip of his tail. His face was the most captivating and interesting part to her. While that triangular face was inhuman she still found a softness to him that she could mentally admit no longer frightened her. She didn't expect his eyes to be the same in both forms. She expected him to have elongated pupils, like a reptile, and was surprised that they remained the same round shape. She found comforted to be able to still look into his human eyes. It took her a few moments to tear her eyes away before she continued the perusal of his face. He had long, thin, wispy whiskers that extended from his almost dog-like nose. His ears much like his face were also triangular in shape, another trait she felt he shared with a canine. He had long pointing horns that she could almost imagine feeling the texture of in the palm of her hands. She balled up those hands into tight fists as she conjured up an imagined shared flight just as he took off.

Then he was suddenly launching himself back up into the sky, and she was reminded of the fact that she was currently curled up into the palm of Bou's hand. She let his humming anchor her mind so she could regain her composure. But frowned when she realized that said humming was the boy's only current form of entertainment as he escorted her to Haku's home.

"So, tell me about my time here from before." Perhaps if she couldn't get anything from Haku she could get some information from Bou.

"Oh we had lots of fun. We had an adventure! Oh, but I was turned into a rat at the time of our adventure." He grinned a big silly grin. How could she have thought his smile was menacing only an hour or so before? "You carried _'_ _me'_ around that time."

"So, I guess now you are returning the favor." She tried to smile up at him even if she wasn't completely comfortable being toted around in the palm of his hand.

It didn't take long for Chihiro to realize that was all he was going to share with her about her time here ten years ago. She guessed that while he was childlike there was still an intelligence that rivaled her own when she was his age. That he knew he should be letting her remember things on her own just as Haku had stated earlier.

The rest of the walk went by without incident. It took them twenty minutes to arrive at Haku's home. She hadn't been paying much attention to their surroundings until they stood at the base of what he had referred to as his 'tower home', and it was obvious he named it that with good reason. The tower portion itself raised high into the sky, much like a skyscraper. Even if she had leaned back to get the whole view she still couldn't see the top. But just beside the tower was also a large cute two story stone cottage that connected to it. The height of it probably adjusted for someone of Bou's height to be able to stand freely in it. She was thankful for the separate cottage because she didn't think the tower held much space for anything but a single room each level. She wouldn't want to have to walk through Haku's bedroom to get to hers, or vice versa.

Haku opened the door of the cottage with a smile on his face. "I need one more thing to complete your signature for you to gain access to the house."

"What's that?"

"You gotta place your hand over the barrier." Bou said then immediately posed to show her just what he meant. "Like this."

Chihiro mimicked the pose and once she touched the barrier she felt a similar warmth to the one she felt earlier when she consumed the rice ball. Except this time it was warming the outside of her body. It spread from her fingertips to her chest and a lazy, circular, rhythmic pattern lingered around her heart. When she dropped her hand she still was able to feel that pulsing energy buzzing within her. She feared that it should have dissipated from her body once she released the barrier. _Is this sensation normal? I thought it would seep from my body, kind of like grounding electricity. But no I still feel it vibrating within me. Should I alert Haku?_

She walked into the cottage and was just about to do that when an annoyed female voice infiltrated the sitting area she was standing in.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Where Haku had expected a sense of freedom when he switched to his dragon form he had instead felt an uneasy tension. He scoured the area around him and tried to pinpoint the root of the emotion. He didn't want to lift from the ground until this sensation dissipated. It only took him moments to sense that the apprehension was some inward conflict not outward.

Haku wondered if his dragon soul was trying to communicate through emotions? The trouble was if that was the case then he was having trouble deciphering the meaning. He decided to attempt to take Zeniba's advice and talk to his dragon in his mind. _What is it?_ _What are you trying to tell me? Can you not verbalize it? Will you ever be able to 'tell' me what is going on? To 'tell' me what you are feeling?_ The whole attempt had a part of himself feeling silly that he was trying to provoke his dragon into a conversation. He wished he had some inkling of what else he could do to connect with that part of himself.

He mentally shook his head and finally said goodbye to the ground below his feet as he took to the skies. Almost immediately he felt his gut lurch. Many of the sensations he was feeling, as always, were invigorating. The wind on his scales felt wonderful. He sensed his dragon (hesitantly) rejoicing in that sensation as he always did. At the forefront of his mind however his dragon was struggling with conflicting emotions. He wanted to continue to be free but he also wanted to be grounded. Haku wanted to understand as much as his dragon did so he tried to telepathically link with him again. _Let me know why you feel this way? Can't you see I am trying to reach out to you?_ Still, just like always, he didn't get a response.

Haku clamped his jaw tight in annoyance. _Fine, then I guess I will just have to ignore you for now. But, don't think I have given up because you are being bullheaded. Every time I transform from here on out I am going to attempt to have a conversation with you. You've been warned so be ready._

Once Haku landed he transformed and sighed. Even though his human like form was smaller he felt a tightening leave his body, and the sensation was completely relaxing. But he had to quickly add Chihiro's magical signature to the barrier to make sure she was allowed into his living space. When she had been to the spirit world before her signature had barely started taking shape. He had guessed that it might have been because she was young and human. The fact that it hadn't been completely developed was the only reason her signature hadn't already been added to the barrier. Working with artistic sigils and runes was probably Haku's downfall when it came to magic. He tried to make the lines and curves that formed the symbol as stylistic as he could with his magic but the visual still had him frowning. He would never be happy with what resulted from his magical drawings compared to what he visualized in his head. Before he finished the last few swipes he chanted the words needed to solidify the spell. "By the elements bind this sigil with those in the collective and grant her entrance." His barrier brightly glowed for a moment before resettling.

With perfect timing the giant boy and young woman had finally arrived at his home. He wondered how she would perceive its modesty. He hoped she would feel as if this cottage, beside his tower, were her own. He would probably no longer neglect this segment of his home, like he had been doing. He was confident that her presence here would be a reason to spend more time in this part of the building.

He guided them both towards the door but knew the magic would still seal her out. While the barrier access was granted to her and she slipped through fine she still had to gain access to the cottage itself. He opened the door and smiled at her. "I need one more thing to complete your signature for you to gain access to the house."

Haku's smile broadened when Bou was quick to instruct her and pantomime the action. "You gotta place your hand over the barrier. Like this."

He became mesmerized by the wide arrange of emotions that passed over her face as the magic basically shook its hand with her in greeting. He was just about to sweep his arm as a gesture to invite her in when a loud piercing voice echoed off the stone walls of his living space. He immediately turned and eyeballed the faux dragon skull that's jaw was moving up and down mimicking the forceful quality of Lin's tone. The synchronization didn't quite line up with her words. But a dragon skull mimicking a humanoid voice was prone to prove difficult. He just preferred this visual over that of a humanoid skull.

"Haku! Answer this call already! You are in big, big trouble mister!"

"And how am I in trouble, Lin?" He was sure that addressing a skull probably looked strange to Chihiro but when he looked her direction she didn't seem phased at all. _She seems to be acclimating herself well. Or she could of course be just putting up a strong front._

"What do you mean how are you in trouble? You send Bou to ask for food when you could have just as easily went home and prepared yourself something to eat. We both know that is just a simple incantation and flick of the wrist for you. Not to mention after his delivery he comes back and asks for most of it to be wrapped up. Haku, I haven't slept yet! As foreman I am the first to wake up, and the last to go to bed. It is going on 1:30 in the afternoon! I'll be lucky to get any sleep! Plus, ever since you resigned as Yubaba's assistant she is insistent in thinking I am her beck and call girl. You are such a thorn in my side!"

Haku glanced to see if any recollection showed on Chihiro's face. He felt his mouth turn down slightly when she only seemed to look on in curiosity. "Yes. Well, I suppose I should apologize for that. I stumbled across an unexpected guest when I was headed to the bathhouse."

"An unexpected guest? That needed to be fed?" It took only a few moments before she gasped as she put the clues together and caught on to the situation he was currently dealing with. "You smuggled some random human to the spirit side of the river? Are you insane?" Well, maybe she didn't caught on to the whole situation but she at least caught on to part of it.

"Not, insane. And she is definitely not random." Haku smiled widely at Chihiro. In his mind, he was welcoming her home. Not just to his home but hers as well. He had built this cottage with her in mind. From the perfect amount of lighting to the lighter, pale shades of the stones. Those choices were all made in hopes to one day make her life in the spirit world a comfortable one.

"Well, you didn't deny the human part. Wait." She paused as she must have been rolling over Haku's words in her head. "You said not random. You said she." It only took a few seconds before she was gasping again. "Sin! You escorted Sin over, and you didn't tell me!"

"Lin, I do hope you are in your office making this call. You are being quite loud, and I would hate for you to wake up one of your employees. Or, worse yet, Yubaba." Honestly, Haku was hoping to throw Lin off. He was sure she would be bound and determined to put her assistant in charge for the night just to have a reason to sneak over and see Chihiro.

"Of course I am calling you from my office. I was suspicious of your behavior. Seems I was right to be suspicious. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious about seeing Sin. Heck! I wouldn't even have known how much time had passed if you hadn't kept that blasted calendar and ag—"

He interrupted her tirade to say, "I'm quite aware of the fact that my actions regarding time have made other spirits uncomfortable."

"Ah, gotcha. I see what you are doing. I'll play your little game." She paused briefly before adding, "for now. But I most definitely am leaving my assistant in charge tonight and coming over. He can do the job well enough. I mean he used to have it himself before he was demoted and Yubaba gave me the promotion."

He could hear the smirk that was tainting her voice. Lin often gloated about that particular moment in her career path. He knew that she still wasn't fond of how the foreman treated Chihiro her first full night on the job.

It was unfortunate that Haku had been tasked with retrieving Zeniba's seal that night. But he couldn't let on that he was the one that escorted Sin into the bathhouse. He had to appease his 'master.' He had to keep on pretending to be solely her loyal servant even if when Chihiro reentered his life he felt differently. In the matter of only a few hours the little human girl had turn Haku's world upside down and rekindled a flicker of hope in his heart.

"I suppose I can't stop you. I do think you should agree to taking a nap first and come by around supper time." He looked up at Chihiro and sighed. "I also need to let you know something though."

"What!?" Lin squawked.

"It's about Chihiro. If you are going to overwhelm her then I really wish you would let her be, at least for today. Let her get reacquainted with the spirit world that she had left behind. Give her a chance to familiarize herself with this world all over again. I also think you should know—"

The easy annoyance that colored the tone of Lin's voice most of the time evaporated, and when she spoke again was replaced with concern. "She forgot us didn't she?"

Haku almost nodded before he remembered she couldn't see him through this avenue of communication. "Yes, but she seems to have a hazy recollection of the spirit world, and how she originally got here ten years ago."

"Well, that's something I guess. But just because she has forgotten us isn't going to stop me from coming over. I'll agree to waiting until supper. So you better call that cook of yours and let him in on some of my favorite dishes."

As the call ended Haku sighed. Lin could be exasperating when she was going on one of her verbal tirades.

The look of confusion on Chihiro's face was easy to read. "I thought she had previously mentioned an easy incantation and a flick of your wrist earlier regarding food. But, you have a cook? Do you often entertain?"

Haku arched an eyebrow and looked around the small cottage. Once again he was curious how she saw the place. It wasn't really big enough to entertain so why would she ask that? Because Lin mentioned a cook?

"I don't often invite people over. Nor do I have a cook per se. I think that was just a poor joke on Lin's part. She simply wants to see some of her favorite foods on the table. But you, Chihiro, would be the guest of honor. So what would you like to eat tonight?" She wasn't very particular when she was younger. She would settle for a bowl of rice or the onigiri she had earlier. But, he was curious if her taste buds had changed. If she had anything she favored.

He watched her face as she carefully considered what he asked her for a moment. "I am pretty easy to please in all honesty. But if you have easy access to fresh fish I wouldn't mind some grilled fish and maybe skewers of vegetables to go along with it on the side. But, I don't want to be an inconvenience."

"Like I said you are pretty much the guest of honor and this is a celebratory dinner to welcome you back. So, whatever you want is fine by me." Honestly, gathering the ingredients was only the matter of a simple spell. Then since she only asked for grilled foods he really just had to keep an eye on things so they wouldn't overcook. He wondered if her choices were deliberate. The meal would be a simplistic one so he would have to add some flourishes that she wouldn't expect. He wouldn't have to adapt the menu to suit Lin either. Lin would be pleased with what Chihiro had selected.

Haku took a second to consider what they should do next. It only took a brief scant glance over her features for him to realize she seemed a tad fatigued. "If you want I can show you where you are staying and you can get a nap in between now and supper time."

"I should go home and take a nap myself. If I stay much longer Mama will probably ground me." Haku didn't even bother to agree with him. He knew it was true enough that Yubaba had probably already been scouring the immediate area for her trouble-making son. Boh knew when he should head home, and at that appointed time he never dawdled because he knew how much trouble he would be in if he did.

Haku turned back and watched as she visually took inventory of her appearance. Her expression changed to one of revulsion. "At the very least I would like to clean up and maybe get a shower. That bike ride here was a bit of a work out."

He hadn't noticed any ill lingering effects. If she had been sweating her aroma wasn't offensive to his sense of smell. Any perspiration that might have dotted her face was gone when he came across her and probably only added a healthy glow to her complexion. But he didn't verbalize his thoughts. He simply guided her out of the open living space up the stairs to where her quarters were located.


	5. Chapter 5

**Quick Author's Note:**

 **This isn't one of my favorite chapters I have written thus far for this story. I don't hate it but it drones a bit because Chihiro has to acclimate herself to her surroundings which makes it a bit boring in my opinion. But I hope you still like it regardless. To make it up to you I added a small citrusy (almost not suitable for work) moment from next chapter at the end. (It's really short to not give too much of the moment away.)**

Chapter 5

Chihiro wasn't sure of what to make of the talking dragon skull. The general idea of Haku using the dragon skull as an accent piece made sense she supposed. But she didn't immediately comprehend why it was talking. It took a few moments of observation for her to realize that he was having a conversation with someone, and once he dropped the name Lin she realized this was the same person that Bou had picked up the onigiri from.

She didn't want to intrude on the conversation so she turned her back and attempted to drown them out by taking in her surroundings. To the immediate left as she walked in there was an archway that she inferred, from the external structure of the building, would lead to a spiraling staircase that led up to the tower. The cottage part that she was currently in was one large room with a solitary door to her right that she supposed probably led to a small half bath. There was a cozy fireplace directly in front of her and to the immediate right of that was a set of counters, a sink, and a sunken in basin with a metal rack that she was probably as a grill. This area must have replaced, what most would consider, a traditional kitchen. Above the kitchen counters were a few small cabinets which probably held dishes and what not. To the right of that was an open stairway that led to a small landing directly above the kitchen. There was a hallway at the top that must have opened up to another area of the cottage that was only accessible via that staircase. Heck, beyond the wall behind the single open room there must be another living quarters entirely. She wasn't sure she understood the purpose for having another closed off area. Was she mistaken in thinking that Haku's living quarters were at the top of the tower? There wasn't much reason to linger over this concept so she looked back around the main room and deemed the way the ambient sunlight seemed to reflect off the soft colored stones. It was brilliant of him to chose ivory, light gray, soft peaches, and pale color stones. The colors combined with the light made the stone cottage very homey.

Chihiro refocused on the conversation that Haku was having with Lin via dragon skull. Even though she didn't remember her time here ten years ago she was able to gather that Lin was another person she had met. The conversation was a lot of bickering back and forth but underneath she could tell that Lin cared quite a bit about both Haku and herself. It almost had her feeling guilty about previously being easily aggravated when her named had been brought up.

"I'll agree to waiting until supper. So you better call that cook of yours and let him in on some of my favorite dishes." Lin threatened.

After this statement there was a click that she assumed meant the conversation was over. She looked at Haku for confirmation, and with the way he had turned his full attention back on her she concluded that she was correct. For only a moment Chihiro replayed the last statement over again in her head. It conflicted with another thing that Lin had said earlier so she needed some clarification. "I thought she had previously mentioned an easy incantation and a flick of your wrist earlier regarding food. But, you have a cook? Do you often entertain?"

He answered her question with an unsurprising answer. Lin was dishing out some friendly banter. But then he turned the conversation toward her. What she would want to eat. Statements about her being the guest of honor. The heat filling her cheeks made her quite aware that she had to be blushing. Even though it was only the three of them in the cottage she felt awkward as the sudden center of attention. She didn't want him to go overboard with some stellar cuisine. She had simple tastes so she gave him a simple answer. "I am pretty easy to please in all honesty. But if you have easy access to fresh fish I wouldn't mind some grilled fish and maybe skewers of vegetables to go along with it on the side. But, I don't want to be an inconvenience."

"Like I said you are pretty much the guest of honor and this is a celebratory dinner to welcome you back. So, whatever you want is fine by me." Once again the words 'guest of honor' had her cheeks becoming heated. She felt so warm she was surprised that Haku didn't comment on it but he seemed to be reflecting on something. Perhaps he was thinking about the conversation he just had with Lin. Or maybe he was already going over things he would need to prepare for the night. He couldn't have much in the house. He didn't even have a refrigerator. But maybe he didn't need to have one. Maybe he could keep food fresh with his magic, or maybe he conjured up the ingredients he needed on a whim. If that were the case than any specific dish she requested would be simplistic for him to gather the ingredients for. But, she honestly still wanted to keep things as simple as possible. If he wanted to somehow modify her uncomplicated requests she wouldn't complain. She would more than likely welcome any way he would elaborate the dishes.

She must have started to look tired because the next thing she knew Haku had glanced her way and moved closer to her. The words he uttered were friendly and concerned. "If you want I can show you where you are staying, and you can get a nap in between now and supper time."

"I should go home and take a nap myself. If I stay much longer Mama will probably ground me." The gigantic boy pouted as he started to show himself out. Chihiro attempted to give him a reassuring smile.

A nap honestly did sound good to her also. But was she really tired? She briefly looked over her body and happened to catch a whiff of the unpleasant aroma of sweat lingering over her body. The path that lead up to the entrance to the spirit world had been quite strenuous. "At the very least I would like to clean up and maybe get a shower. That bike ride here was a bit of a work out."

He apparently hadn't noticed her foul smelling body odor which made her partially confused and mostly relieved. He signaled for her to follow him and led her up the staircase.

The opening at the top of the stairs led to a hallway with two doors. He opened the first door to the left to show her a large bathroom. It held a large bay window with an oversized marble tub beneath it. A fully encased shower, from floor to ceiling took up the entire back wall. There were several shower heads on a long metal rod. She fully anticipated the water massage she would receive shortly. He opened a door she nearly didn't see to the right. "You will find towels, extra shampoo, soap, and toilet paper here. There are a few other necessities underneath the sink." He indicated the vanity with the two sinks left of the doorway. "Now, let me show you where you will be staying."

When he turned and led back to the other door she followed him. What he revealed that was behind the door definitely surprised her.

The first thing she noticed was the window that was nearly identical to the one in the bathroom besides the tub. But in place of the tub it had a charming little window seat with pastel colored cushions and throw pillows. There was a charming sea foam colored old fashion desk in the far left corner of the room with a comfortable looking coral colored plush chair. _It's odd how perfect this room is. I can easily see myself sitting here as the sun comes up working on one of my novels._

Against the right wall was another stairwell. This was the area she predicted would be on the opposite side of the wall. When she stepped down onto that floor she was once again caught off guard. The room was fit for a princess. The window coverings were sheer and allowed a lot of light to filter in. The bed itself had a sweetheart canopy and several throw pillows on it. At the foot of it was cushioned bench. In the corner to the left of the bed was an old fashioned vanity table with a silver backed hairbrush. _It looks antique which means the bristles are probably horsehair._ "This is where you let guests stay when visiting you?"

Chihiro had asked the question while touching the plush bedspread. So her back had been to him. She turned after a few moments when he hadn't answered her. The look on his face was almost comical. He looked flustered and confused and if she wasn't mistaken he was attempting to hide a blush that stained his cheeks. "I don't really have guests that stay over. But, I did want to have a room just in case I ever did."

 _There's something off about what he is saying. I wouldn't say he is lying exactly. It doesn't feel like he's being purposely deceitful. But, there is definitely something he's hiding. This room is breathtaking and suited for a...well a lover. Is that what he doesn't want me to know? That this is the room he stays in with his romantic encounters. He's handsome enough to have had several women in the past. I couldn't fault a single woman for wanting to fall in his bed. Wait! What am I saying?! I've never had this reaction before. I've always been indifferent to someone's looks. But somehow this magical spirit that is part man and part dragon has thrown my world sideways? Is it possible he's my one true love?_

Chihiro tried to shake away those thoughts because they made her chest feel tight and uncomfortable. She turned and surveyed the rest of the room. Like the living space this area also had a fireplace that must be seated back to back with the one in the main part of cottage. There was a coffee table, a loveseat, and two plush chairs seated around the fireplace. On cold nights this area was probably quite cozy. If this room also had a kitchenette it would practically be its own apartment.

Haku indicated a dresser tucked in the corner to the right of the bed and a door she didn't notice. "There isn't much here but there are a few articles of clothing in the dresser and this closet. I think you should find some that would fit you."

 _I really should have brought my own clothes with me. I don't want to put on something he bought for his former lovers. There is something exceptionally off putting about that. Plus, if I wore their garments what exactly does that make me? Am I supposed to be one of his many conquests?_

"I guess now that I have shown you where everything is I should leave you to it. I'll be in my tower for a bit if you should need me. The entrance is just off the main cottage and up a spiral staircase. You'll find a large door that leads to my living space."

She nodded in understanding. There was a part of her that congratulated herself on already guessing how to access his tower and that it was indeed his living space.

Once the door at the top of her stairs closed she peeked in the dresser. She pulled out a pair of designer jeans. "Wow, these are brand new!" A tag still hung on them, and she nearly threw them back in the drawer when she saw the price. "They've never been worn? Well, I guess I don't have to worry about his lover previously donning these." She examined the size and was amazed that they were only a size bigger than the size she actually wore. She shifted around the closet for a top and also found a belt that should make the jeans a bit more snug around her waist. "I guess these will do." She laid those in a pile for the dinner party tonight. But she did really want to lay down for a small nap first. So she searched again and found a tank top and cotton shorts with a drawstring. They were a tad on the short side but perfect for sleeping in.

She grabbed her makeshift pajamas and clean undergarments (they too were brand new with the tags still on them), and headed to the bathroom. The tub was inviting but she really did need to be clean more than relax at that moment so she opted for the shower instead. When she had glanced at the shower previously she didn't notice there was a built in seat on the back wall. So she was able to sit there for a few moments while the steam built up around her. She feared she may fall asleep if she sat there too long however so she only lingered for a few minutes before she got up and finished cleaning up. Once she felt refreshed and clean she brushed her teeth and hair and headed back to the bedroom where she dropped like a sack of potatoes and fell asleep almost immediately.

Preview from Chapter 6

Even though he was physically holding himself back his lewd considerations became the kindling to some indecent daydreaming. He could almost visualize her dew covered bare skin. Her soapy hands trailing over the flat panels of her stomach. Her turning towards the shower head and displaying the bare planes of her back. He wasn't overly creative however and could only wonder at what her womanly figure would look like unveiled to his eyes.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

It had taken a lot of willpower for Haku to be able to walk away from Chihiro. He had lingered in the main part of the cottage at first and when his sensitive hearing caught the sounds of water he had to stop himself from tripping back up the stairs and becoming some kind of peeping tom.

Haku had always prided himself on his gentlemanly decorum. But it definitely wasn't gentlemanly to desire to listen outside the door as she bathed. It was even worse to consider jimmying the door open somehow and attempting to watch her unawares through a crack in the doorway. But his blood was pumping through his body rapidly and the urges he was feeling were exceptionally hard to control. He was definitely feeling anything but gentlemanly at the moment. He was feeling as if he had no control over his body at all. Making the attempt to regain that control was quite grueling.

Even though he was physically holding himself back his lewd considerations became the kindling to some indecent daydreaming. He could almost visualize her dew covered bare skin. Her soapy hands trailing over the flat panels of her stomach. Her turning towards the shower head and displaying the bare planes of her back. He wasn't overly creative however and could only wonder at what her womanly figure would look like unveiled to his eyes. The clothes she had been wearing weren't overly flattering and had only hinted at her femininity. Her waist had been trim and flailed out to her generous hips. The pants she wore had been slightly baggy in the seat so he couldn't get a good estimation of the curves hidden there. He hoped to see something that more generously hugged her backside in the near future. When it came to the top half of her form the t-shirt only tightened slightly against the curve of her breasts and otherwise hung loose. So once again he couldn't get a good judgment to mentally estimate the size and shape of that part of her anatomy. But he knew that he wished that her breasts would at least be the perfect size to cup gently in his hand.

These thoughts had his blood pumping both north to his face and south to his nether region. He began quivering as a result of the onslaught and had to force himself up the stairs to his tower. He would also have to have a shower. It was a good thing that the furnace didn't heat the water well in his small shower. He didn't need an excuse for the chilled temperature of the water. It was the type of shower he had planned to take anyway.

Once he had stepped underneath the shower head he decided to attempt to reach out to his dragon again.

 _You have been acting strangely. I want to know why. Why have your moods been off lately?_

He felt a huff of frustration pour into him. He originally thought it had something to do with tampering down his urges but it felt like it came from a different part inside himself. It took only a few minutes to process that his dragon had finally somewhat mentally opened up to him.

 _Well that's progress I guess. But can't you verbalize what's going on?_

Now, he was able to visualize his dragon in his mind. The dragon was pacing back and forth in a cage. Was the cage what was keeping their minds separate?

 _Is the cage why you can't talk to me?_

The dragon shook his head.

 _No? Well that's making this even more confusing. Am I unintentionally doing something that is keeping you from talking._

The dragon just stared at him this time.

 _Well that's not a no. It isn't exactly a yes. So, I am guessing I am partially doing something that I am not aware of?_

Once again the dragon just stared at him instead of answered.

 _Is there anything I can do to help you?_

The dragon paced back and forth once again but this time he would stare intently at the bars.

 _Set you free? Don't I do that when I transform?_

The dragon shook his head.

 _Are you saying give in to your whims when I take your form?_

The dragon stopped and stared at him.

 _I'm on the right track aren't I?_

This time instead of shaking his head in the negative or just staring coldly at him he nodded his head.

It was somewhat relieving to finally have gotten a positive answer. But the question and answer made Haku exceptionally nervous. _I am not sure if I can give you full reign though. Is there a way we can meet halfway?_

The dragon looked down at his own scales.

 _Transform? Go for another flight? Will you show me when I do that?_

His dragon looked at him again.

Haku mentally sighed. He couldn't really take this conversation further right now. He had things to do and food to prepare. _Can we table this for later? I do have to make preparations for the sudden dinner party that I didn't exactly plan for tonight._

The dragon stared at him and snorted.

 _Hey, wasn't my choice either. But Chihiro does deserve some kind of celebration._

The dragon seemed to grin at that.

If the dragon hadn't been part of him the look he gave him would have probably made him frightened. Despite that, it still was able to unsettle him slightly. He wasn't even aware he could grin like that as a dragon. It was a look of overconfidence. What made his dragon feel this way he wasn't sure. But he wasn't quite ready to know the answer either.

Chihiro really had selected a menu that simplified things quite a bit. The only thing he didn't already have a supply of was fresh fish. Normally he would go out in his dragon form and catch them directly in his mouth. But he would be the only one consuming them when that was the case. He was sure dragon slobber wouldn't add any tantalizing flavor profile to the dish. So he had two other options. He could either harvest the fish by using a spell that would capture them in a bubble, or he could catch them normally like a human would.

It didn't take him long to deliberate over his options before coming to a compromise. He would sit by the water to catch the fish with a fishing pole, and every half an hour or so, if he hadn't yet caught anything, he would use the bubble spell to catch something so he at least would have enough to grill up for supper.

As the time passed he once again turned his thoughts to the girl that was taking a nap in the bed he had hand selected specifically for her. He really did hope that she appreciated the choices he made. When she had toured her living area he really couldn't easily decipher her expressions and figure out what she was thinking. Some of them looked pleased but there were others that he couldn't put a word to. They weren't happy, though. That was the only thing he was certain of.

He worried over her lost memory. He hoped that the supper tonight would jog something more. That something would remind her of her previous time here. But he had to admit most of her time here hadn't actually been pleasant. First, with the fact that her parents turned into pigs. Of course then was the fear of disappearing completely from the world. After that, merely having to manage getting into getting into the bathhouse on her own. At least Lin and Kumanji had been there to guide her through that part. Then of course she had to face Yubaba. A feat that scared most adults, let alone a child. Haku had always regretted leaving her to do all that on her own, and then the way he had treated her afterward was deplorable. It's crazy how all that had happened in only a matter of hours.

The string on the fishing pull became taut. Haku confirmed he must have caught something by the bobber moving up and down in the water. He was surprised by the size of the largemouth bass he pulled in. It was surprisingly big enough to feed everyone that he expected to arrive tonight.

He looked at where the sun was in the sky. It was probably now about three or four in the afternoon. He could begin to do some prep work on the fish and vegetables. Then afterward he could wake up Chihiro if she hadn't woken up from her nap already.

It could take him no time at all to debone the fish and prep the vegetables. He simply had to utilize his magic for the chore. But in that moment he wanted to get absorbed in the task. He wanted the busy work to infiltrate his mind so wouldn't be fixated on thoughts of Chihiro tucked away in the not so distant bedroom. He wanted to have a few moments where concern about his dragon soul wasn't eating away at him.

He had just finished the fish and part of the vegetables when he heard the soft footsteps of Chihiro patter overhead. He didn't have to turn his head as he audibly confirmed she was on her way down the stairs. "How was your nap?" _How was your nap? Is that really what I just asked?_ The dragon seemed to smirk at him from behind the bars of his cage.

He hadn't turned his head toward her yet so he felt and heard her shrug more than saw it. He was still able to somewhat catch the movement from his peripheral vision. "I am glad I took it I guess. But sleep is sleep it's not overly fascinating or anything." He turned his head toward her because something felt untrue about her statement. Her cheeks took on a ruddier hue than the normal pink tinge they carried.

 _What does that blush mean I wonder?_

"The bed is far more luxurious than the one I have at home. It didn't take long for sleep to come once my head hit the pillow." Chihiro stepped closer and peered over his shoulder.

Her scent permeated his being and had his spine stiffening in response. The combination of her own natural fragrance and the aromas from the soap and shampoo he had carefully selected for her almost drugging him into a cloudy sense of euphoria. He felt a growl reverberate in his chest and he had quite a bit of difficulty keeping it from erupting through his throat.

In his mind's eye he saw the visual of his dragon in the cage wrapping his claws around the bars and shaking them until the whole enclosure rocked on its foundations.

He could only mentally shake his head at his dragon. His own sense of propriety seeming to try to melt and slither away from him. But he mentally attempted to solidify himself and was able to refocus his attentions when Chihiro took the chance to speak again.

"Is there anything I can do to help you?"

He wanted to tell her no. He wanted to let her relax in one of the overstuffed chairs or lounge on the sofa. But the suggestions weren't forthcoming. Instead he said. "I am nearly done." He indicated where the yellow squash and zucchini were still in a colander in the sink. "But you can slice those if you like."

The smile that lit up on Chihiro's face had him easily reciprocating in turn. He showed her where another cutting board was she could use. He watched as she pulled an appropriate knife from the cutlery block and immediately set up a place to work on the opposite side of the sink.

He was equal parts annoyed at her being so far away and relieved that she had put some distance between the two of them.

Once she was done she pulled a rectangular device from her pocket. The side facing up had a large window or picture screen that lit up and his own curiosity had him closing in on her. "What is that?"

"Oh, it's my phone."

Haku knew what a phone was. He had known that the communications through the magical skulls had been patterned after the way they worked. But this didn't look like any phone he had seen before.

She must have sensed his confusion because in the next moment she turned it his direction to show him. "It's a portable mobile phone. It is also able to play music, games, and access the internet." She hesitated briefly with a frown on her face and confusion written in her eyes. "Although I don't seem to have any reception here."

He wanted to ask her what each picture on the strange window meant. He didn't understand the word 'internet' so his thirst for knowledge wanted her to help him define it. He wasn't able to do either though because suddenly he felt Lin's magical signature nearby and the next moment his door was flung open.

"You better have made me my favorite dishes like I asked you too!"

He met her glower head on. "Stop just busting through my front door like that, Lin. Have the decency to knock!"

 **I have written up to Chapter 8 but I was having a lot of trouble with Chapter 8 hence why the almost month long wait on an update. To make it up to you I am including another (short) preview. (Chapter 7 is my favorite chapter thus far FYI).**

 _She smoothly ghosted over the ridged rings that wrapped around the circumference and climbed up toward the pointed tips at the top of his horns. She memorized the texture of each individual ring before tracing up to another. They surprisingly almost had a smooth velvet like texture and were warm to the touch._

 _She wanted to touch the silvery white scales but she feared the idea of completely letting go of his horns. Something told her that he would never let her fall. But that concept didn't keep her from holding on to his horns and fully remained seated in her position._


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

 _The wind danced freely whipping past her and threading through her hair, somehow dislodging the band that kept it tied back into place. There was something liberating about how her hair was flowing behind hair untamed and unbound. Perhaps, she should keep her hair like this more often._

 _Wait, where was she?_

 _She looked around and saw the stars twinkling at her from the darkened night sky. When had it suddenly become night? Had she slept through the supper party?_

 _She looked down in front of her and was startled to find herself astride Haku's dragon's back. Her hands were wrapped around his horns and she found herself pulling back slightly so that she no longer held them in a vice-like grip. She now held them in a loose grip and was be able to stroke over the texture of them with the pads of her fingers. She smoothly ghosted over the ridged rings that wrapped around the circumference and climbed up toward the pointed tips at the top of his horns. She memorized the texture of each individual ring before tracing up to another. They surprisingly almost had a smooth velvet like texture and were warm to the touch._

 _She wanted to touch the silvery white scales but she feared the idea of completely letting go of his horns. Something told her that he would never let her fall. But that concept didn't keep her from holding on to his horns and fully remained seated in her position._

 _When she had thought that she wouldn't have room astride his back she had been somewhat mistaken. There was only about one or two excess inches of width past where her hip bones flared out. It made her wish for more excess. If she tipped slightly left or right she feared becoming unseated from her perch._

 _After doing a mental inventory of her safety and the ludicrous fact, in general, that she was flying on the back of a dragon through the inky night sky she took a deep breath and leaned over somewhat. She wasn't sure her voice would be carried over the rushing wind that wove. "Haku, where are we going? I don't remember waking up and you taking me on this ride through the stars."_

 _If she had thought she would get an answer from his dragon form she was sorely mistaken. He made a growling noise which she took to mean that he had no way to communicate in this form. But the growl didn't frighten her. It wasn't menacing. It was merely a guttural noise. She wished that she could determine the emotion behind it._

 _Not long after they were descending beside a large lake. The inky blackness of the sky reflected on the surface of the water. They landed only feet from the bank. It took her a few moments to climb off his back. But once she did she veiled her curiosity by pretending to be slightly off balance. This gave her the opportunity to run her hand against his scales, hopefully, without it being perceived as her petting him. Surprisingly they weren't sharp at the edges like she had hypothesized. They felt more like soft delicate pieces of silk layered over one another. The edges were still defined but not like edge of a blade like she had weighed over in thought._

 _She almost remorsefully let her hand fall down to her side and stepped away a few steps. The touch of magic made the wind whirl behind her and the back of her hair to twirl in its aftermath for a moment before it receded and her hair was falling back into place on her back. The wind was only a gentle breeze here, stationary and on the ground._

 _She didn't have to turn around to know that Haku had transformed into this human form. The goosebumps that were rising on her arms and the tingle at the back of her neck told her that he wasn't looking at their surroundings. She was attempting to, however. There was something in her that told her she needed to remember everything about this moment. There was something that told her this night would be special and that she needed to safeguard as much as she was able to in her memory._

 _The full moon seemed to perfectly reflect its image on the water. Not even a fish swimming in the lake caused a ripple against the surface. The smell of something sweet and foreign carried on the air. It reminded her of some floral perfume she had smelled some time in her brief history but she couldn't place what. Crickets chirped, frogs croaked, the soft breeze shifted through the high grasses, and they were a number other nighttime sounds that contributed to what she could only mentally refer to as a midnight serenade._

" _Chihiro."_

 _She turned toward him. There wasn't anything else she could do when he said her name like that. A soft almost whispered promise. An almost declaration of what was to come._

 _Just by looking at how the wind was shifting through his gorgeous hair fanning forward from his right side. She knew it must have also been gently tugging at her hair, pulling it behind her. But she couldn't feel the sensation of it. She was frozen in place as he began to step closer to her._

 _She nearly deliberated that he must have cast a spell on her that rooted her to the spot. But every time that he had used magic around her she felt it as an extension of himself. That wasn't the case in this moment. She had to swallow against the sudden lump in her throat as she realized it was her emotions that kept her from meeting him halfway. It was her fear and her hope. In this moment he was what she wished for. He was the no faced man of her dreams._

 _Then she was reconsidering that idea and rolling it over again and again in her head. Was he the reason she had not felt attraction before? Had she left her heart behind when she had went back to the human world so many years ago? She couldn't deny the buzzing that infiltrated her mind and body the moment they met. It was equal measure exhilarating and frightening._

 _He stopped only a hairsbreadth away from her. His breath fanning across her face left her tingling. It traveled through her skin and carried like a current through her body until she felt it everywhere. It laid heaviest in her core though. A yearning she had never felt before took her over and before she realized what she was doing it she was pulling him close to her._

 _It was hard to say who's lips touched who's first. But the fact that it was a mutual desire blossomed a new surge of hope in her chest. Although she hadn't ever kissed anyone before there was something instinctive about her movements. The soft brushes and touches they were sharing almost didn't seem like enough however. She wrapped her arms around his neck reaching to pull him even closer. Her fingers combed through his hair until her nails gently scraped against his scalp._

 _In an instant the gentle kiss morphed into a burning need. No longer were there simply lips involved. Haku's teeth nipped at her bottom lip. His tongue traced against the seam making his intentions known. The glorious sensation that struck through her had her sighing which allowed him entrance. The moment their lips touched she felt his hands travel down skidding across the surface of her bottom and picking her up by the thighs. Her legs automatically wound themselves around his waist. She was too absorbed in the kiss to feel him carrying her but the next moment she felt the bark of a tree brushing against her back._

 _She felt winded by the little amount of oxygen she was getting while she had been attempting to breath through her nose. She mourned the loss as she placed gentle pecks to his lips before completely pulling out of the kiss. It was when she felt Haku's chest vibrate and a growl managing to escape from his lips that she looked back up into his eyes._

 _Her bliss quickly evaporated and suddenly a trickle of fear began to take hold. His rounded pupils for some reason or another had transformed. They were long and elongated. The same way she had assumed they would have been when he was in his dragon form._

 _He pushed her more into the bark where the ridges that were nibbling only moments before were now biting at her. He harshly scraped his nails against the inside of her thighs. Despite her fear in that moment she still was able to register that it was still spark that lit the kindling of arousal inside of her. But then his mouth opened and all romantic urges dulled significantly._

 _His teeth were no longer the blunt humanized pearls. They were now pointing and sharp. It was an eerie sight to behold. Fear capsized her growing desire quickly, and she tried to push him away at the shoulders. Despite her strenuous efforts he budged as much as a mountain._

" _What Chihiro? You no longer want me to touch you? You seemed to be liking it only moments before." His voice wasn't normal. It still held the same cadence and pitch that she had began to familiarize herself with as Haku. But there was an underlying growl and fierceness that seemed completely alien to her. Her mental speculation had left her wide open to his advances. He sniffed against her throat and she was immediately gasping at how fearful she felt. "You smell good enough to eat." Her eyes widened as she saw the hunger reflected in his eyes. His mouth wrapping around the juncture where her neck and shoulder met had her panicking. Where she knew a lover might nibble at the tender spot she felt his sharp fangs rip into her._

She sat up in bed as the scream climbed up her throat. When she realized she was safe she stifled it from surfacing. "Only a nightmare. Just a nightmare."

Even telling herself this and rubbing her upper arms in reassurance wasn't enough to quell her new nervousness about her current living situation. She hesitated to get out of bed as she replayed the dream in her head over and over again.

She got out of bed and before she realized where her feet were taking her she had made it to the landing above the kitchen. She had heard Haku chopping something but he must have become aware of her presence because he halted his actions.

Instead of prolonging the inevitable she shrugged her shoulders and walked down the stairs. He didn't turn his head when he asked her about her nap and for that she was thankful. There was no way she could have fought off the blush that began to blossom on her cheeks.

"I am glad I took it I guess. But sleep is sleep it's not overly fascinating or anything." _Not fascinating or anything? Wow, how unskillful can one be when attempting to tone down the truth? Okay, yeah I should stop kidding myself. That was a blatant lie but there is no way I am go let him know about that dream I just had._ When he turned at her again out of obvious curiosity her blush felt like a full blown inferno.

She attempted to take some pressure off herself by talking about how easy it was to fall to sleep. Claiming the beds softness as the reason she conked out the moment her head hit her pillow. He didn't really respond to that and the quiet for those few moments began to eat at her so she asked if she could help.

He indicated where she could find another cutting and it was easy to find a knife because of the cutlery block beside the sink. They worked in companionable silence for the next few moments until Chihiro realized she had no clue what time it actually was. She pulled out her phone to find out.

Her actions brought up a new topic of conversation. Her phone. It was obvious Haku didn't understand the technology and she was definitely having a hard time explaining it to him. He obviously had limited knowledge with technology but how to do explain someone that relies on magic how something works via a network of satellites, electricity, and other technological mumbo jumbo that Chihiro didn't really grasp herself proved nearly impossible.

A somewhat familiar annoyed female voice broke through her mental dilemma. Chihiro was definitely appreciative of the break.

"You better have made me my favorite dishes like I asked you too!"


End file.
